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Gregg Bell joined The News Tribune in July 2014. Bell had been the director of writing for the University of Washington's athletic department for four years. He was the senior national sports writer in Seattle for The Associated Press from 2005-10, covering the Seahawks in their first Super Bowl season and beyond. He's also been The Sacramento Bee's beat writer on the Oakland Athletics and Raiders. The native of Steubenville, Ohio, is a 1993 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and a 2000 graduate of the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.

Yes, in the first half there were better holes and more consistent line play – to the uneducated and unaided eye (mine) anyway – this line does seem a marked improvement with Bowie at LG. Some of the first half line improvement, I believe, is also due to adding the weapon of Percy Harvin to the mix. I absolutely loved that 9+ yard end run on the handoff in the first half just in front of Lynch’s touchdown rumble.

I am tired of hearing about Percy. I think Tate is a better fit for this team TBH. Sure he didn’t make a few key plays Saturday, but regardless, he’s a proven commodity without durability issues. Tate is actually only 1 inch shorter than Harvin, but weighs 20 lbs more. Percy ran a 4.41, and Tate ran a 4.42. I think with more time to develop, Tate can be as good as Percy. Compare numbers from this season…

I find the wailing and nashing of teeth among the faithful interesting and indicative of the overall subconscious unease of the 12th. I am confident this is the best Seahawk team of all time, including young Mr. Wilson, and I am happy as hell to have Pete at the helm rather than Holmy, who never understood the value of defense or special teams as the keys to consistent winning.

The Hawks will win by more than 8 points and it will be on to New York. Keep the faith and enjoy the ride.

Oh, and what I am getting at here is, Tate and Wilson have chemistry, and he’s as good as any after the catch. I wish they would put Tate into the offense in Percy’s place to see how it goes, if for nothing else but to keep the chemistry going.

My request for an article or even a short opinion this week is someone who knows stuff to break down Bowie’s performance. I don’t know how to really watch an O-Line player and grade it, & would love to see a real breakdown of how the guy did because we’ve all been clamoring for a change this season.

To me it was pretty obvious that having Harvin in there really opens it up for everyone else. I see the points and comparisons with Tate and I agree they are a very similar player. Harvin is the x-factor though. He’s so dynamic and dangerous, more so than Tate. Why does he seem so much faster? Maybe if we had another quality WR in there, then Tate could take on the Harvin role, but we don’t. Maybe next year. I for one am all for resigning Mr. Golden Tate. I love that guy as much as anyone.

Per PFF, SEA had the #1 reg season overall defense (pass coverage 1st and pass rush 1st) and NOs ranked #14 (pass coverage 8th and pass rush 13th). SEAs & NOs offenses each made (6) first downs by rushing the ball. NO’s offense made (3) 1st dns because of defensive penalties by SEA, while SEA’s offense were given (2). When it came to passing, Brees and his receivers made (16) 1st dns while Wilson and his receivers made (5). That seems like a problem, even after a win.

I don’t give a rip what they ran at the combine. Tate does not have the football speed that Harvin does. It is extremely clear the impact that Harvin has when he’s in there. Teams aren’t going to game plan for Tate like they do Harvin. I like Tate and hope they can keep him, but he’s doesn’t have the same impact as Harvin when he’s healthy. You could make the argument that you’d rather have Tate due to the durability, but that’s a different argument. I hope they keep Tate and draft a big receiver in the middle rounds.

Bowie played very well from what I could see. I think the off-week gave the coaches time to become comfortable with him over on the left side. I’d expect the o-line to remain the same the rest of the year. Probably seen the last of McQ and Carp in Hawks’ uniforms, unless maybe McQ wants to come back for the vet min.

Tate doesn’t have Harvin’s body control. Tate can’t change direction or position/contort his body like Harvin. That’s why even though both compete for the ball better than their peers, there are some balls Harvin can pull down and Tate doesn’t. Tate can go straight up (vertical) as well or better than Harvin – Harvin can twist his body and lay out almost prone to pull down other passes.

It also is why Harvin gets open more easily (he can run routes more precisely and has more abrupt change of direction when trying to fool a defender.) Tate has some open field moves and shake but I don’t get the feeling he cuts sharply and precisely – certainly not like Harvin.

What Tate can do is stay healthy despite taking 10 big hits. Harvin wilted after two, though I really dont hold that against him, your brain is your brain…and his arm got mangled too, dont forget. But Tate has proven his durability, Harvin has proven he is not durable.

Not to mention Tate can run through tackles by DB’s, and I have yet to see Harvin do this. Tate can take a huge hit and still hold onto the ball–Harvin dropped his ball before Bush even hit him–dude heard footsteps.

Tate also has amazing body control in the air, and can outjump just about anyone. He’s far better at that than Percy. Yes, Percy has speed that is far more explosive than Tate–its almost surreal. But Tate is plenty fast enough. Also, Tate is improving rapidly the past three years, while Harvin is just missing time the last couple, not improving.

I believe Tate could put up some crazy stats if Seattle leaned on him. But thats not in their scheme. By design, they had Tate and Baldwin catch the same number of TD’s–Carrol said so–so other teams wont know who to focus on. Thats fine and all, but it angers me they dont give Tate more chances to score in the red zone.

Seattle would be morons to let him get away. I dont think he’ll command Harvin money, and he shouldnt–he’s not the route runner Harvin is–yet. But he will command good money, and Seattle should pay the man; he’s damned well earned it.

And yeah, Michael Bowie right now is my favorite Seahawk. Maybe of all time. Im not making this up! as Dave Barry says…Seriously, we havent had even mediocre–let alone adequate–play at LG since the Ice Fisherman betrayed Seattle and decided to spend most of the rest of his career Ice Fishing during the playoffs in Minny…and Bowie comes in, plays his third position this year–AS A ROOKIE–and outplays Sweezy, Carp, and McFinished combined.

Im not anointing Bowie the next Ice Fisherman, but I watched him pretty closely and most of the time I liked what I saw from him–alot! I just wish he was playing RG for Sweezy and Bailey had stepped up to take over LG. Maybe next year…I hate it that Sweezy has had most of two seasons and sucked every game, yet still starts, despite the fact that Bowie played one game at RG and did better than Sweezy ever has.

But I never want to see Bowie at RT again. Im hoping we draft a good one in the first or second…after we whup the Niners asses and bring the Lobardi home to South Alaska…

Its hilarious to me the idiots who came out of the woodwork after the Rams game talking about how well Tate had been playing…a week or two after talking about him like he was trash…and two weeks later he’s poo-poo on a stick because he played an entire game with his bell rung and dropped a pass and an onside kick…

So, let me get this straight: RW can play 4 bad games and one decent one in five weeks, missing multiple times per game on easy throws–never mind the hard ones–and he’s Football Jesus, and its sacrilege to even wonder what gives…But Tate catches a few key passes in a bad conservative gameplan and makes TWO mistakes in a game, and he’s back to being garbage?!

I’m on the Bowie train. After seeing what I saw from him against AZ (Dockett AND Campbell – BOTH great players/DL) it baffled me when he didn’t start again that next week (wasn’t even active!!!). That was pure lunacy from the coaching staff because hicks like us knew he was the best guard on the roster.

bobbyk–To me, the benching and making inactive of Bowie was another in a long line of stubborn mistakes by Cable. Sweezy has no business starting. Lem Jean-Pierre has no business sitting on the bench. I am convinced if given training camp to play G, he would beat out anyone currently playing G for us excepting Bowie.

At least Cable finally reached the end of his rope with McQ and Carp. Hopefully he gets there soon with Sweezy, but its not looking good.

Im betting Sweezy gets beaten out in camp next year by Bailey or someone else. Still doesnt mean Cable will bench him then…but if they outplay badly enough, eventually Carrol will make him bench Sweezy.

Sweezy has improved, but he’s still a liability in that he’s so inconsistent. And if this team really is all about competition, other players should at least be given the chance to beat Sweezy out. I dont feel thats been the case, as Cable seems to see his redemption for blowing the Carp/Moffitt picks in Sweezy…

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